


Through the Eyes of Another

by thispanbelongsinthetrash



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Anxiety, Best Friend Phichit, Canon Compliant, Denial, Drunk Katsuki Yuuri, Fluff, GPF Banquet, Grand Prix Final, Grand Prix Final Banquet, Healthy Relationships, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Nothing major though, Requited Unrequited Love, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates, Time Skips, Victor is a sweetie, Yuuri is oblivious, Yuuri is smol, and kinda dense, because this child needs help, best friend chris, body switch, but gets bigger, but slightly different, but victor loves him anyways, have i mentioned yet that yuuri is dense, lots of them - Freeform, phichit is a good friend, seriously so much fluff, victor wants to protect him, wow more time skips im so original, yuuri for the love of god just talk to him please hes dying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-02-23 17:27:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13195014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thispanbelongsinthetrash/pseuds/thispanbelongsinthetrash
Summary: In which closing your eyes grants you the ability to see through the eyes of your soulmate. Both closing their eyes at the same time results in the two switching bodies.It was nearly a week later, and Victor had been closing his eyes every day, wishing for his soulmate to be born so he can meet them.He was watching out of the window for his dad to get back from work, when his eyes were drawn to sudden movement in the sky. He realized quickly that it was a shooting star, and shut his eyes to make a wish.“I wish for my soulmate to be born, so I can meet them and love them. I hope they’re the sweetest, nicest person ever and that we can love each other the way Daddy and Mommy love each other.”Moments later, his father arrived home, and Victor fell asleep before he had another chance to check for his soulmate.But the next morning, when Victor closed his eyes, he found his eyes burning as he stared into lamps. Everything was blurry, but he could tell one thing for certain.His soulmate had finally been born.





	1. i- Wishing Upon Stars

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CHARACTERS USED, OR THE IDEA FOR THE SOULMATE AU. UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, ALL I OWN IS MY WRITING.
> 
> The first several chapters will be very short, but will become longer.
> 
> I usually have a 3000 word minimum for myself for each chapter, but I've decided against that for this fic.
> 
> I hope you enjoy, and as always let me know if there's anything you would like to see me write or any questions you have!

“Mommy, someday I want a soulmate like you have Dad.” A three year old Victor Nikiforov rocked back onto his heels as he talked, bouncing around his mother as she maneuvered through the kitchen.

 

“But you have a soulmate, Vitya,” Her soothing voice told him. 

 

“Really?” Victor’s blood raced in his small body; he was beyond ecstatic. “Tell me about them!”

 

“I don’t know who it is, silly,” He drooped a bit at her words. “But you can see them if you close your eyes.”

 

Victor immediately slammed his eyes shut, eager and excited to know more about his soulmate, thirsting for the knowledge of his perfect match. Even at his young age, he was a romantic at heart. How could he not be, with his sappy parents?

 

His smile quirked into a frown, however, when his closed eyes met him with nothing but black.

 

“Mommy, am I doing it wrong?” Victor fretted. “I don’t see anything.”

 

His mother smiled sadly at him and bent down to gently kiss the top of his head. “No, honey,” She assured him. “Your soulmate must not be born yet.”

 

“But I’m already three,” He pondered. “My soulmate would be a baby.” He frowned at the floor and placed a hand on his chin to think. “Then I’ll just have to take good care of them until we’re both old enough!” 

 

“I think that would be wonderful, sweetie.” Victor’s mother ruffled his hair and picked up a spoon. “Now, are you ready to lick the brownie bowl?”

 

-

 

It was nearly a week later, and Victor had been closing his eyes every day, wishing for his soulmate to be born so he can meet them.

 

He was watching out of the window for his dad to get back from work, when his eyes were drawn to sudden movement in the sky. He realized quickly that it was a shooting star, and shut his eyes to make a wish. 

 

“I wish for my soulmate to be born, so I can meet them and love them. I hope they’re the sweetest, nicest person ever and that we can love each other the way Daddy and Mommy love each other.”

 

Moments later, his father arrived home, and Victor fell asleep before he had another chance to check for his soulmate.

 

But the next morning, when Victor closed his eyes, he found his eyes burning as he stared into lamps. Everything was blurry, but he could tell one thing for certain.

 

_His soulmate had finally been born._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Request things! https://goo.gl/forms/r20XFoJ8qaNFRrIH2


	2. ii- First Time for Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Victor switch for the first time.

Victor has been watching through the eyes of his soulmate every day for over two years. His soulmate had turned two several months ago, and he turned six not long after.

 

Victor eased into the familiar sensation of closing his eyes, but opened them immediately at a sharp pain in his head. He reeled back- only to realize that he was sitting. He’d been walking through his house only moments before.

 

Confused, he pushed himself back up and gazed at the foreign surroundings. A low set table, with plump, kind-looking people gathered around it. He seemed to be leaned against someone, and looked up to recognize the face of the person he had taken to assume was his soulmate’s mother.

 

Soulmates had since been explained to him in more detail, and he realized panickedly that he had swapped bodies with his soulmate.

 

“No!” He shouted out, hearing the voice that wasn’t his own react to him. “I have to get back to my body! My soulmate is too young to switch! They’re probably scared! I don’t want them to be scared! I said I would take care of them!” And Victor flailed his too short arms and did his best to wriggle out of the kind woman’s grasp, but to no avail.

 

She looked down at Victor and frowned, speaking kind words in a language he didn’t recognize. Victor knew that during a switch, the involved soulmates’ eyes changed colors, so he was sure his soulmate’s mother had figured out what was happening. At least, he hoped so.

 

-

 

He was stuck in his soulmate’s body for over an hour, doing everything he could to convey to these people that he intended to take care of his soulmate, and that the best way he could do that was to get back to his body so that his soulmate could be with their family again.

 

If Victor was afraid and out of sorts with the language change, he could only imagine what his soulmate was feeling.

 

-

 

Too many sounds.

 

This was not his place.

 

These were not his people.

 

The noises echoed and pressed in on his head, causing him to scream and double back, clutching his hands over his ears and fall over.

 

He lay on the ground, folding his body in on itself,wailing for his mother. Sobs shook his chest as he felt hands on him, rolling him over and shouting angry sounding words at him; words he didn’t’t know.

 

Yuuri was like that for longer than he could realize. Adults were swarming around him, and only one was a saving grace.

 

She had long hair of a color that Yuuri didn’t know, but it was pretty. She was taller than his people, and not as squishy. She picked him up, and Yuuri realized that his body was bigger. Had he grown? 

 

The woman carried him into a room away from all the loud people that were touching him and set him down.

 

She pushed his hair back and spoke to him gently, but Yuuri still didn’t know what she was saying or why this was happening or who she was.

 

“Scared,” He whined. “I scared.”

 

The woman smiled, but looked sad. Maybe she didn’t know what he was saying either?

 

She pushed herself up and sat next to him on the bed, pulling him into her lap and caressing his hair gently, eventually lulling his to sleep.

 

When he woke up, he closed his eyes at the sudden light, only for the same pain from earlier to return, and he jerked, suddenly significantly warmer. He opened his eyes and blinked, and his body felt right again.

 

He looked around and realized that he was again in his home with his people.

 

“Mama!” He shouted, reaching his arms out to grab her as she pulled him into her arms. 

 

“Yuuri,” She cooed. “You’re safe now, it’s okay.” And he was crying again, but it was okay because he had his mom and he was warm and he knew where he was and what people were saying.

 

As much as a two year old could, he hoped that that would never happen again.

 

-

 

Victor had been brought into a room with the people he couldn’t understand, still trying to tell them that he needed to get back to his own body so that he would know his soulmate was okay, but they didn’t seem to understand him either. They took him into a room full of toddler stuff, and he assumed that this was his soulmate’s room. They put him down on a rug with toys in from of him, and he stared at them.

 

“No, not toys. _Soulmate_.” He emphasized. “I’m worried about my soulmate.”

 

Frustrated, he leaned back, closing his eyes in hopes of easing his aching head.

 

As he closed his eyes, a sharp pain shot through his head again, and he jerked back, relieved to find himself in the arms of his mother.

 

“Mama!” He shouted, wrapping his arms around her as she held him. “My soulmate and I switched bodies!”

 

“I know, love,” She told him. “They were very afraid. I brought them in here so that it would be quieter, but they fell asleep. Were the people nice?”

 

Victor frowned. “Yes, but I think they might be stupid. I kept telling them I was worried about my soulmate but they tried to feed me and then they put me in a room with a bunch of toys.”

 

His mother laughed. “Vitya, I don’t think they speak the same language. Your soulmate tried to say a couple of things, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.”

 

Victor hummed. “Then what language do they speak? I want to be able to talk to my soulmate.”

 

“I think it was some sort of eastern language. Maybe Japanese?”

 

Victor nodded, already having made up his mind. “Mama, I want to learn Japanese.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Request things! https://goo.gl/forms/r20XFoJ8qaNFRrIH2


	3. iii- Guardian Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor and Yuuri switch again, and Victor decides he wants to try ice skating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry it took so long, but thank you all so much for the support! A large part of the reason it took so long is because all it is right now is really the exposition. I'm setting everything up for bigger events later in the story, and it takes me a long time to do that. When we get further in the story, updates should be more regular.
> 
> Some quick notes about Victor's family in this fic:  
> 1)It is canon that he's fluent in English, French, and Russian. I decided to play with that and make his mom French, so that's why he's familiar with it.  
> 2)We don't know really anything about his family, so I've taken it into my own hands to give him one of my own creation. He gets a sister this chapter, and I might make him have a little brother later on. Not sure yet.  
> 3)So I knew I wanted to make his mom French, but she needed a name. I did some research, and "Nathalie" is the french version of the english name "Natalie", which is the english version of the russian name "Natalia". So, her name is Nathalie.
> 
> Yuuri knows a bit of English because he was able to pick it up around the onsen.
> 
> Until this chapter, I was using they/them pronouns when they talked about each other because they didn't know the other's gender. As of this chapter, they do, and I will switch to using he/him pronouns.
> 
> IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT LANGUAGE AND FORMAT  
> Some soulmate stuff is explained here, but it's Vic's mom talking and Yuuri doesn't understand enough english to know all of what she said. Therefore, the stuff that Yuuri doesn't understand it italicized. 
> 
> I think that's it, so enjoy!

His soulmate had started school.

 

He would watch sometimes through his soulmate’s eyes and see a bit of what they were learning. Seeing lessons displayed on the boards also helped Victor with reading kanjis.

 

He was casually getting ready for his own school day, closing his eyes every so often to watch his soulmate in the courtyard of their school. They were running around with a young girl that Victor had come to see with his soulmate a lot. They were laughing and smiling, and Victor startled as his mother called him.

 

“Vitya,” Her voice pulled him away from watching his soulmate. “Come get breakfast.”

 

Settled back into their kitchen table with eggs and an orange, Victor again closed his eyes to watch his soulmate run. He loved it when his soulmate was happy and having fun, but it was not the case when Victor shut his eyes.

 

His soulmate was looking up at a group of kids, and Victor assumed that they were on the ground. The girl was off to the right, being held by another of the brats and crying out frantically as she reached for them. One of the meaner looking kids was suddenly very close, sneering cruelly and jabbing a finger into his soulmate’s face.

 

Victor angrily clenched his hand over his spoon, keeping his eyes closed to watch the situation unfold. 

 

He watched as his soulmate reached up an arm to cover themselves, and felt his head pinch. He reached a hand to his temple to ease the ache, and opened his eyes to reveal concrete under him.

 

His soulmate’s hands were burning; the familiar stinging sensation of falling over and catching yourself. He could hear the girl’s voice now as she cried out.

 

“Yuuri!” She shouted. “Let him go!” And she pounded on the arm of the one holding her.

 

Victor’s Japanese was not great, but he could hear the one closest to him sneer something at her about ‘hurting her boyfriend’.

 

“Stop it!” She screamed again. She was easier for Victor to understand than the others.

 

“Hey!” He shouted in Japanese, doing his best to remember his vocabulary and sentence structure so he didn’t make a fool of himself. “Leave her alone! And stop being mean to my soulmate!”

 

They all took a step back, including the girl, and stared for a moment. They seemed to be shocked about something- maybe his soulmate didn’t yell often? That is, until the one that had been in his face moments before returned, shoving him back again; only this time he didn’t falland instead brought up a well timed knee to the boy’s gut, causing him to double over in pain. He grumbled something angrily before loudly screaming for the teacher. She immediately rushed over, grabbing Victor by the arm and instructing the other children to come as well. 

 

He chewed the inside of his cheek- an awful habit, really- as she sat him down in a chair and spoke in Japanese too fast for him to understand. When her bit of lecture was over, she turned to him expectantly and stared. 

 

“I am sorry,” Victor said. “I am still learning Japanese. Can you talk slower?”

 

“ _Katsuki Yuuri_ ,” She hissed out. Victor didn’t know what that meant. Perhaps it was his soulmate’s name? “Enough joking around. You’re a model student, I can’t believe you would do this.” And more lecture followed that Victor could not understand. 

 

The girl- what was her name again?- butted in at the end of the lecture. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” Victor caught. The rest of it was unfamiliar to him, but he managed to discern the words ‘switch’ and ‘soulmate’, and nodded in agreement when she turned to him. 

 

The harsh woman narrowed her eyes at him, and Victor caught the girl saying something about brown eyes. “What is your name?” The older woman asked in slow Japanese. 

 

“Victor,” He answered cheerfully.

 

“Where are you from?”

 

“I live in Russia!” Victor told her. “In St. Petersburg!” 

 

The woman sighed and rubbed her temple. “Very well,” She relented. “We’ll send you with Yuuko,” Victor assumed that was the girl’s name. “And you’ll be taken to Katsuki’s family.”

 

“Katsuki?” Victor inquired. “I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with that word.”

 

“Your soulmate.” The girl- Yuuko- explained. “His name is Katsuki Yuuri. His family runs a hot spring. Come on.” 

 

And so, Victor allowed himself to be pulled along and took the time to observe his soulmate’s friend. She looked to be about his soulmate’s age, with brown hair pulled out of her face and brown eyes to match. She was small by normal standards, but was a bit taller than his soulmate. Katsuki, he reminded himself. Or was their given name Yuuri? Victor was aware that the Japanese inverted the eastern order of the names, but he wasn’t sure if Yuuko had switched it for him.

 

“You’re my soulmate’s friend?” Victor asked excitedly, eager to know more about his soulmate’s life. 

 

“Yeah,” She answered back, already dropping most of the formalities. “My name’s Yuuko.” She slowed to a stop and turned to face him. “The kids you saw earlier have been bullying him for a while. I’ve been trying to get him to stand up for himself for ages.”

 

“This won’t make it worse, right?” If the kids had been bullying his soulmate for some time, then there was a chance that Victor retaliating would only provoke them further, and they would target his soulmate when he wasn’t there. “I didn’t want that. I just saw it happening and I got really upset and I wanted to protect them because they’re my soulmate and I don’t want them to be hurt and-”

 

“You’re obviously struggling with this much Japanese. Do you know any other languages? English?” Yuuko cut him off, and he suspected that as much as he was having trouble with Japanese, she just didn’t want to listen.

 

“I’m fluent in English and French. And Russian, of course.”

 

“We can switch to English when we get to the hot spring then. His family speaks enough that it’ll be easier on all of us.” Yuuko flipped her hair out of her face as she continued walking. “Even if it does make it worse, Yuuri will just be happy you stood up for him.” Before Victor had the chance to respond, Yuuko continued. “Come on, we’re here.”

 

-

 

***IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT FORMAT AND LANGUAGES IS IN NOTES. GO READ IT***

 

Yuuri needed to learn to be careful what he wished for.

 

He was thinking that he’d like nothing more than to vanish; that is, when he did _actually_ vanish.

 

Except, “vanish” actually meant “be plopped into the body of his soulmate with no warning and no knowledge of where he was (he was sitting at a table in a dining room; that was about all he could tell from his position) or who the person that walked into the room was (she was very pretty though) or what in the heck she was saying. Soulmate’s had been explained to him at this point, along with the story of his switch as a baby. 

 

“I’m very sorry, ma’am,” Yuuri tried to say slowly. “I do not understand.” 

 

The woman paused for a minute and seemed to analyze him, and Yuuri took the time to observe her as well. She was tall, and had shiny silver-white hair cut into a bob. Her eyes were an odd sort of blue-grey and were framed by rimmed glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. She wore a loose fitting dress with a pair of flats.

 

“English?” She asked carefully.

 

“Not good.” Yuuri replied a moment later, hoping he’d said the right word. (There was once where he mixed up the English words for _good_ and _bad_ during a class presentation. He wanted to crawl into a hole and not come out.)

 

“That’s fine,” The woman said. “I’m your soulmate’s mother; my name is Nathalie. Can you tell me yours?”

 

“Yuuri.” He decided to give his first name since this was his soulmate’s family. She continued to ask him simple questions like where he was from and if he liked school, and he did his best to respond politely.

 

Nagging at the back of his mind, though, was worry for his soulmate. The kids in the courtyard were not the type of people to stop just because it wasn’t him anymore. Hurting his soulmate would hurt Yuuri, and they knew that. He could only hope that Nishigori intervened before it got too bad. Otherwise his soulmate would probably hate him. What if they didn’t want Yuuri as a soulmate? What if they realized that there was a reason he only had two friends (one and a half?) and decided to leave him alone like all the other kids? Or worse, if they hated him?

 

Yuuri wasn’t sure at what point exactly he had started crying, but now he was sobbing. Nathalie pulled him into her arms and cooed soft words at him, hushing him until his sobs faded to sniffles. 

 

“I sorry.” Yuuri said sadly. “Worried. Soulmate.” That was all Yuuri could manage to piece together in his scrambled mind, as his skills with English were already limited to what he heard from tourists at the onsen and the very minimal amounts that he learned in school.

 

“It’s okay,” Nathalie said with an inhuman amount of patience. “Do you want to see where he is?” She asked, to which Yuuri nodded hesitantly. “Close your eyes, _and keep them closed. You’ll be able to see what he’s up to in your body. If he’s closing his eyes at the same time, then_ you two will switch back.” Yuuri nodded slowly, only having caught part of what she said, and closed his eyes.

 

He was seated in the principal’s office? Oh, no. The bullies must have hurt him really badly. His soulmate hated him; he was sure of it. Sobs shook his shoulders as he wailed, folding his arms in on himself. “I want my mom,” He managed to choke out in English.

 

When Yuuri quit crying, he closed his eyes again, and was happy to see his soulmate seated in his family’s private dining room, where they could eat away from customers. At least now they were safe. 

 

-

 

“What pretty eyes you have, darling,” The kind, plump woman cooed. “Dear, look at his eyes. Yuuri’s soulmate must be beautiful.” Victor smiled at the praise; he’d always loved his eyes.

 

“Thank you very much,” He said in Japanese. “You must be my soulmate’s family. My name is Victor.”

 

“And he speaks Japanese!” The woman seemed overjoyed. “What nationality are you, darling?”

 

“I’m half Russian, half French,” He answered. “But I live in Russia.”

 

“Do you speak French as well, then?”

 

“Yes, ma’am. And English.”

 

The woman squealed. “He’s so polite! Toshiya, our Yuuri’s soulmate is precious!” She pulled Victor into a hug and squeezed him. “Come, dear,” She said, releasing him and corralling him through a sliding paper door and into a room with a low-set table. “You must be hungry. I’ll start getting some food ready for you, and you just tell us about yourself, okay?”

 

After a bowl of something that looked and smelled delicious was set in front of him, the questions began.

 

“So, how old are you, darling?” The plump woman asked.

 

“I’m nine.”

 

“And are you a boy or a girl?”

 

“I’m a boy.”

 

“You two will have to adopt, then. You’re not against that, are you?”

 

Victor was beginning to have trouble understanding the woman, but was still able to get the gist of what she was asking. “I would love to adopt when we’re grown up.” The woman asked another question that he couldn’t understand. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but could we speak in English? I’m still learning Japanese and it’s a bit hard for me.”

 

His soulmate’s mother beamed at him. “Of course! I asked if you have any siblings.”

 

Victor’s face visibly brightened. “I have a baby sister! She was born last week. She’s really squishy and she cries a lot.”

 

The woman giggled. “How sweet. I bet your mom is very tired.”

 

“Mhmm,” Victor nodded. “Milena is with my aunt today, though, because Papa’s out of town and Mama has to rest. She hasn’t gotten a lot of sleep since Milena was born.”

 

Victor was in his soulmate’s body until nearly nighttime, and had learned a lot about his soulmate, like that he did ballet and had started ice skating. He had even gotten to practice his Japanese with native speakers. If only he had thought to ask what the food he was given was called. It was absolutely delicious.

 

-

 

Nathalie had managed to calm Yuuri down enough to get him to finish what was left of Victor’s breakfast before the switch when she called the school to let them know that Victor would not be going in. 

 

She had settled Yuuri in with a coloring book when her phone rang, her sister’s face flashing on the screen.

 

“Da,” She said upon answering.

 

“I was just calling to check that you’re resting like you said you would.” Her sister’s soft voice filtered through the phone.

 

“I would love to, but Vitya and his soulmate switched bodies and it took me ages to get his soulmate to stop crying. How’s Milena doing?”

 

“Sleeping,” Was her sister’s response. “Just like you should be.”

 

“Da,” She answered. “But I’ll sleep when Vitya is in his own body again. Really, it’s no big deal. His soulmate is easily upset so it’s better that I’m awake.”

 

“Nathalie,” the older woman chided. “You need your rest.”

 

“I’ll be fine,” She assured her sister, but after ending the call a few minutes later, it couldn’t have been more than half an hour before she was asleep where she sat at the table.

 

Mid afternoon light was filtering through the windows when she woke up later that day. A blanket had been wrapped around her, and the coloring book and supplies were put away.

 

The smiling face of her son greeted her when she rounded to corner to the living room. She was glad to see that his eyes were a bright blue once again.

 

“Glad to have you back, Vitya,” She ruffled his hair and pulled him in for a hug. “And thank you for putting a blanket on me and picking up. That was sweet of you.”

 

Victor tilted his head in a confused manner. “But I just switched back.”

 

Nathalie smiled softly. “It must have been your soulmate, then. I’ll have to thank them next time you two switch.”

 

“Oh, Mama!” Victor called out. “My soulmate’s mom said that he likes going ice skating! That seems fun! Can we try it, too?”

 

“Of course, sweetheart.”


	4. iv- Communication is Key

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri becomes infatuated with Russian skating legend Victor Nikiforov. Phichit is a good friend. Also, he gives Victor Yuuri’s number. This should be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The step monsters are here and I am going to rip all of my hair out.  
> You can thank my inability to sleep for this chapter being out so soon.

Skating competitively was kind of an accident.

 

Turns out, Victor had a natural affinity for skating, and when he had too much free time one day, he decided he would try a few of the jumps he had seen skaters do in competition. Just for fun.

 

He was good at those, too. He had to start with singles and work his way up to doubles and triples, but he was really good at them. By the time he was twelve, people at the rink had taken videos of him and uploaded them to the internet. They speculated that he was an underdog being kept a secret to make his big debut all the more shocking when he qualified for the Junior Grand Prix.

 

If it was a secret, Victor would have liked in on it. 

 

He got home from school one day to a man with a voice gruff from yelling sitting in his living room talking to his mother.

 

“Ever thought about skating competitively?” The man asked before Victor even had the chance to lock the door behind him. 

 

“Not really,” Victor was too taken aback to answer with anything but the full truth. “I guess it could be fun though. Maybe I should try it!” And he giggled and stepped lightly through his house to put his bag in his room. 

 

And that’s how he ended up signed on with Yakov. He was seeded into the Junior Grand Prix series his first year of competition and took bronze. After that he went to several more local competitions and won easily- easier than anyone expected him to, at least. 

 

He had become notorious among the Russian skating community, and was garnering attention internationally as well. People were recognizing him in the streets, so he smiled and waved at them as he went on with his day.

 

After his first season of competitive figure skating, he was already becoming skating legend, Victor Nikiforov.

 

-

 

“Yuuri!”

 

“What is it, Yuu- chan?”

 

“I found this awesome skater! You have to see!”

 

-

 

“He’s Russian and his name is Victor, and didn’t you say your soulmate skated?” Yuuko remarked a few weeks later.

 

Yuuri shook his head. “Yes, that’s true, but there’s no way that _the_ Victor Nikiforov is my soulmate. It’s just not possible.”

 

“He has blue eyes, too,” Yuuko continued as if she hadn’t heard him. “I’m calling it now. Your soulmate is Victor Nikiforov.”

 

Yuuri’s face was hot, and he knew that it would be red if he looked into a mirror. “Stop it. There’s no way that whoever’s in charge of these soulmate things would stick _him_ with _me_.”

 

“I can’t believe you’re soulmates with _the_ Victor Nikiforov.” She held up her hand as an interviewer would a microphone and made her voice sound like that of a reporter. “What is it like, Mr. Katsuki? The world is dying to know!”

 

-

 

The switch didn’t last long; maybe twenty or thirty minutes altogether, but it was enough for Victor to look into a mirror and decide that his soulmate was the absolute cutest thing he’d ever laid eyes on. He was plump, but not necessarily fat, and he had unruly black hair falling in every direction. Glasses were resting on the bridge of his nose and he seemed to have a perpetual rosiness to his cheeks that Victor couldn’t quit squeeing over. 

 

He was even cuter with a smile, Victor discovered, when he saw the poster of himself hanging on the wall and broke into a grin he had no hopes of controlling. 

 

_I wonder if he knows it’s me._

 

-

 

“Yuuri! Victor got a poodle, isn’t he adorable!”

 

-

 

“Do your best, Yuuri!”

 

-

 

“How about a bowl of katsudon for the national junior men’s champion?”

 

-

 

“Katsuki Yuuri announces his move to the senior division at the age of seventeen. He will be eighteen for the majority of next season when we see him skate. I’m looking forward to seeing what this young skater will show us for his senior debut!”

 

-

 

“Hi, I’m Phichit!”

 

-

 

“It’s got to be him,” Victor said into the phone. “He’s got the same name, and face, and he’s Japanese, and he skates, and he’s so perfect Chris I love him and-“

 

“You’ve never met him!” The Swiss skater laughed on the other line. “Have you ever seen him in person, even?’

 

“I don’t _need_ to meet him to love him! We’re soulmates! And he’s so perfect I mean have you seen his ass Chris oh my god-“

 

“Okay, the one thing from this conversation that I’ll let you have is that he’s got a nice ass, but he’s a skater. Skaters almost always have great butts. Look at me for example.”

 

“Ha, ha,” Victor laughed sarcastically into the phone as he gazed across the rink to the glaring face of his coach. “I think Yakov might be plotting my murder, so I’ll have to call you back.”

 

“See you at Worlds, then. Ciao!”

 

“À bientôt!” 

 

-

 

Victor didn’t know where exactly he was, but it wasn’t his house and it wasn’t his soulmate’s house. His brain chose then to supply him that Yuuri had moved to train in America under Celestino CIaldini. This must be where he was staying. 

 

But didn’t he say in an interview that he was rooming with someone?

 

“Yuuri!” Came a loud yell and a never ceasing knock on the door. “How do you feel about hamsters? Because-“ The younger looking boy lurched forward a bit when the door was suddenly pulled open. “Because I was thinking about getting another hamster and I know hamsters aren’t legal in our building but I already have four so what’s one more, really? And what’s with your eyes? Oh my god, you’re Yuuri’s soulmate! Hi, I’m Phichit! Do you speak English? This is going to suck if you don’t speak English. You speak English, right?” The dark skinned boy said all of this without taking a breath and Victor was more curious as to how he hadn’t run out than he really was invested in answering.

 

“Uh, yeah, I speak English.”

 

“Great! So, I’m Phichit but I already said that and I’m Yuuri’s roommate! I’m a professional figure skater like him and I’m sixteen and I’m from Thailand and we both train under Ciao-Ciao and since we were both coming to a country and didn’t know anyone Ciao-Ciao thought it would be best if we roomed together and it’s working out great! He likes my hamsters and he eats some weird food but I mean he’s Japanese so I guess that’s expected but he can’t eat any of my good quality Thai cooking because his diet is so strict which I mean I guess is okay because he has an eating disorder so he gains weight really easily so he really has to watch what he eats. Oh, and he has this weird obsession with Victor Nikiforov which I mean I can’t blame him have you seen the guy but he named his dog after him which is a little creepy if you ask me but like I guess it’s okay because technically he could argue that he named it after his soulmate-“ He knows? “-because his soulmate’s name is Victor too but it wasn’t after his soulmate Victor it was after skater Victor-“ Or not. “Which I guess would mean that your name is Victor. Hi, Victor!” This was, again, only said with one breath.

 

“So,” Victor started, not quite sure how to continue. “What if me, soulmate Victor, is also me, skater Victor?”

 

Phichit was silent for the first time since the switch. “Yuuri is not going to believe this.”

 

Victor smiled, the one he used for cameras, and proposed his scheme. “How about I leave my number and convince him?”

 

Phichit was still silent and appeared to be thinking. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for him to know who you are.” Victor lurched back, already feeling tears welling. “Not like that! Just, he has really bad anxiety, so he doubts everything. I don’t think he would believe anyone, even you. I think he’d have to find out on his own in order to believe it.” Phichit flashed a smile. “I think leaving your number would be a good idea, though. You could get to know him, and like, drop hints about being the living legend all at once. Then, you’d be able to talk to him, and he’d eventually figure it out and it would all work out. Oh!” He exclaimed. “And if you leave _me_ your number, I promise to send you all of the Katsuki Yuuri exclusives he won’t let me post on my Instagram. With the understanding that none of them hit the public, obviously. Ooh, and all of his dirty little secrets, too. Well,” Phichit paused. “Nothing too bad. I’m not going to betray him as his bestie. That’s a sacred title, y’know? Not just something you throw away. Especially with someone like Yuuri.”

 

Victor’s tears had turned happy. “I’m not going to lie to him if he asks me, but I won’t just blurt out “hi, I’m Victor Nikiforov and we’re soulmates and I like your ass”. Is that good?”

 

Phichit laughed. “He does have an awesome ass, doesn’t he? And you can’t tell from looking at him, but he can bench over 200 pounds.”

 

Victor was in love.

 

-

 

Yuuri was on the floor and there was hair everywhere and a dog on top of him. A mound of take out containers was visible from the trash can in the other room, and somewhere, a phone was ringing.

 

Yuuri spent half of the switch hunting for the phone that never stopped ringing and the other half playing with the dog, which looked suspiciously like Victor’s dog, Makkachin, and reminded him of Vicchan, his own dog.

 

It was a rather uneventful switch for Yuuri, and it wasn’t a particularly long one. An hour or two, maybe. 

 

Yuuri found himself situated on the couch with Phichit, and was surprised to feel his phone vibrate in his hand almost immediately after switching back.

 

Soulmate <3 <3 <3

8:29 p.m.

Hello, Yuuri <3

 

Sent, 8:32 p.m. 

Sorry, who is this?

 

Soulmate <3 <3 <3

8:34 p.m. 

Did the name not tell you, silly? It’s your soulmate <3

8:35 p.m.

I called myself from your phone during the switch. Your roommate (I don’t know how to spell his name) said you had international to talk to your family so it would be fine, but if your phone company charges you any extra I’m happy to pay for it. I was hoping you’d answer and we’d get to talk.

 

Sent, 8:39 p.m.

I couldn’t find the phone

Sent, 8:40 p.m.

I like your dog

 

Soulmate <3 <3 <3

8:42 p.m.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

8:44 p.m.

I KNEW YOUD BE A KEEPER

 

A couple of minutes passed with no response, as Yuuri was too flustered to do much of anything. He was talking to his soulmate, for the first time ever, and his soulmate thought he was a “keeper”.

 

Soulmate <3 <3 <3

8:52 p.m.

Peecheat told me you were a skater. Fun fact, I skate too! 

 

Sent, 8:55 p.m.

Phichit*

Sent, 8:56 p.m.

Yes, I skate. I’m not very good, though.

 

The “typing” bubble was present for several minutes, before:

 

Soulmate <3 <3 <3

9:03 p.m. 

You’re joking right? Phichit said you didn’t have a lot of self confidence but this is ridiculous. “Not very good”? Yuuri, you’re incredible. You have the most beautiful skating I’ve ever seen, and yes, you fall a lot, but so does everyone. It’s your first year in seniors, cut yourself some slack. You came in tenth overall in the GP series with this being your first year with a professional coach, having just moved across the world, and, I say again, _this is your first year in seniors_. You’ve got the rest of your life to criticize yourself. If you spend your career worried about every tiny aspect of your skate that could have gone better you’ll never improve on what really matters. And don’t even get me started on how you move. It’s like the music isn’t something you designed a program around, the music was designed around your program. I’ve never seen another skater with anything like that. It’s beautiful. I teared up during your free every time this year, and I don’t cry easily. Yuuri, you hold records for your PCS scores and if you go to the JSF website and pull up figure skating, it is your face that pops up. The JSF doesn’t put skaters that are “not very good” on their website. Let alone make them the face of figure skating. Also, my little sister is obsessed with you. You’re her favorite skater. _I’m_ not even her favorite skater and I’m her brother.

9:05

Seriously, she has pictures of you everywhere. You were her phone background last time I saw her. I don’t think she even has any of my merch.

 

The piece about his sister made Yuuri smile. He had had people tell him a million times that he’s better than he thinks it is, but no one had ever really put it like that.

 

Sent, 9:09 p.m.

You seem to know a lot

 

Yuuri conveniently chose to exclude if he meant about him or about figure skating, but really, both.

 

Sent, 9:10 p.m.

Thanks

 

Soulmate <3 <3 <3

9:12 p.m.

Anytime <3

 

They continued texting back and forth for a while until his soulmate had to go to bed. It was past the small hours of the morning in Russia and his soulmate had places to be at eight.

 

Yuuri hadn’t stopped smiling.

 

-

 

Peesheet

06:32

idk what you did but you did it right. he hasn’t stopped smiling for like two hours now.

[Attached Image: Yuuri with his sweater sleeve pulled over his hand, covering his mouth to hide a large grin. His eyes are crinkled into his smile and a blush is obvious on his cheeks as he stares at his phone.]

 

-

 

“You changed your phone background?”


	5. v- Breakthrough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor and Yuuri switch while Victor's at the rink, and Yuuri finds his surroundings oddly familiar. Also, two morons in love without ever meeting face to face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed my style a bit with this one to try and make updates faster. Let me know what you guys think of it.
> 
> Also, moving sucks!?!?
> 
> Also, I have an admitted student's day at my college tomorrow and I'm really excited! I've never really had control of my own life and that's caused me a lot of mental health issues but I finally will and I'm so happy!
> 
> Also, Yuri's Angels appear in this one. Please excuse their language.
> 
> No interactions this chapter but important developments.

“Mr. Nikiforov!” A reporter called waving their hand in the air. “Everyone is dying to know your inspiration for your programs this season! Can you tell us?”

 

Victor narrowed his eyes at the woman’s badge until he could recognize the company she was with. It was a respectable company popular in Europe, and he had done interviews with them before.

 

“Certainly!” He called back to her, flashing his signature camera perfect smile. “I’m inspired by my soulmate, of course!”

 

“You’ve met them, then?”

 

“No,” He answered honestly. “But I know who he is, and I’ve spoken to his friends. I’ve spoken to him over the phone several times as well.”

 

“Then why haven’t you met him in person?”

 

Victor had to physically stop himself from frowning. “Because he doesn’t know who I am.”

 

-

 

“Katsuki-san, what are your thoughts on earning an alternate position for the Finals this year?”

 

“I’m very grateful to Coach Celestino for helping me improve so much, and I hope that I’m able to make it to Worlds.” Yuuri answered, squinting against the uncomfortable glare of the lights.

 

“You seem far more confident in your programs this year than in years past. Is there a reason behind that?” The reporter pushed up his glasses- what so the reporters got to wear their glasses, but Yuuri didn’t?- and tapped a pen on his notepad.

 

“Um- Well, probably the people around me. My roommate is really awesome- he’s going to Worlds for Thailand- and he tries to help me stay calm. And, uh-” Yuuri couldn’t stop his face from burning with a blush. “And my soulmate, I guess. I don’t feel as alone this season.”

 

“Your soulmate?” The reporter inquired patiently, having interviewed Yuuri before and knowing he received calm questions much better. “Can you tell us anything about them? We understand if you’d like to keep it private, but we’re all curious.” Soulmates were a very private ordeal.

 

Yuuri’s face flushed even more. “Uh- I don’t really know that much about him myself; I’ve never met him in person. We’ve texted back and forth though, and he has a really cool dog.” Yuuri thought of anything else he could tell the reporter. Victor only ever really shared random facts about himself or stuff happening to him currently. Like, Yuuri could say that his soulmate had run into a glass door yesterday, or that he burned himself boiling water a week ago, or that he detested the word ‘chartreuse’ (not the color, just the word), but he didn’t even know his last name.

 

“It sounds like you’re very fond of him. He’s helped you feel less alone just through texting?”

 

“Well, yeah,” Yuuri began, admittedly flustered. “I mean, he skates too, and has been following my career for a really long time. I was being really down on myself the first time we talked and he really put into perspective for me how far I’ve come. People have always told me that I’m better than I think I am, but no one had laid it out in terms like that. It was refreshing, and it was really nice to have him there to pick me back up when I started losing confidence about my programs again.”

 

The reporters were smiling fondly, the older ones seeming to reminisce a bit. “We’re all very happy for you, Katsuki-san. You have our support going into Worlds.”

 

-

 

Yuuri cursed mentally as he tumbled to the ice- of a foreign rink.

 

And then he cursed out loud.

 

An angry sounding stream of Russian came from behind him as he pushed himself up.

 

Yuuri cursed again.

 

“I’m sorry,” He said in English, pivoting himself to face the angry voice. “I’m not Victor.”

 

“No kidding,” The man growled back. “Get off the ice. Come find me when I have my skater back.”

 

Yuuri spun in a circle and surveyed the rink. He’d seen it plenty through his soulmate’s eyes, but seeing it in person gave him a new perspective on it. And the man that had been yelling at him looked suspiciously like Victor Nikiforov’s coach, Yakov Feltsman. 

 

A girl that looked to be about Yuuri’s age skated up.

 

“You must be the Japanese Yuuri,” She said in heavily accented English. “Victor talks about you all the time. Apparently you’re his inspiration. Just come to Russia and meet him already. Then we might get him to shut up about you.”

 

“Oh, please,” A boy a few years older than Yuuri- he’d seen him around in skating competitions but couldn’t recall his name- added in. “Having Victor’s soulmate here would only make him more crazy. He can stay in Japan as far as I’m concerned.”

 

“Georgi!” The girl chided, her red hair bouncing and swaying above her shoulders as she did. “How rude! You don’t even know him!”

 

“Actually I’m studying in Detroit,” Yuuri added before their argument could escalate further. “In the states.”

 

“Really?” The girl asked. “I though he said you lived in Japan. In like a small town or something.”

 

“I do. Or, did? I’m in America for training and college.” He explained.

 

“Oh, that’s right! You’re with the Italian with the eyebrows now, aren’t you!”

 

Yuuri nodded. “Coach Celestino is great. I’ve been improving a lot.”

 

Yuuri chatted with his soulmate’s rink mates for a bit longer before he and his soulmate finally managed to switch back.

 

The familiarity of the people and the rink was still irritating the back of his mind, but he decided to put it all aside and focus on the paper he needed to finish instead.

 

-

 

**skating_otaku _[Okay but Victor from Russia and Katsuki from Japan have both been talking about their soulmates this season and I’m honestly just so proud of them but does anyone else think that this may not be coincidence?]_**

 

_flipforflips [No no I noticed it too and it seems a bit too similar on both of their ends to be coincidence. Victor said he and his soulmate have spoken over the phone but never met, Yuuri said he and his soulmate have texted back and forth but never met. Either way though, they both just seem so smitten and happy and honestly they deserve it.]_

 

_vityalove [who the hell is katsuki]_

 

_giacs-jizz [I’m just so proud of all my boys]_

 

_vityalove [okay so i did some research and katsuki be lookin fine like that boy can get it]_

 

_morelikekatsudamnson [@vityalove you right you right he’s even pretty when he falls like how is that humanly possible. there’s a running theory that he’s not actually human and he was sent to bless us with the power of the actual sunshine in his soul]_

 

_phichit+chu [r we converting a Victor stan??????? WELCOME YOUNG ONE]_

 

_giacs-jizz [HOLY SHIT IS THAT ACTUALLY PHICHIT CHULANONT]_

 

_flipforflips [TRASH SENPAI CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT VICTOR AND YUURI ARE SOULMATES?????]_

 

_DoReMinami [Guys, don’t harass them. Soulmates are private and it’s none of our business. If they felt like sharing, they would.]_

 

_knifeshoesarehot [Okay but Victor could shove his entire skate down my throat and I would say thank you]_

 

_giacs-jizz [Honey, when a Christophe Giacometti stan is telling you that it’s time to stop, it’s time to stop]_

 

**Click to see all 479 comments**

 

-

 

**_morelikekatsudamnson [who else is fuckin pumped to watch the GPF this year? predictions: vic on top (duh), chris second, maybe the kazakh skater for third? or michele?]_ **

 

_flipforflips [Lmao no Victor is such a bottom I can’t (yes though. I have my tissues ready, as well as my mind bleach for whatever scarring material Chris pumps out this year)]_

 

_giacs-jizz [I will fight you in real life. Get off of my boy. But yes I am so pumped. I also have tissues ready (but for another reason ;) ) ]_

 

_DoReMinami [Guys, really. I worry about all of you.]_

 

_knifeshoesarehot [HEy shut up your favorite is damn near infantile]_

 

_DoReMinami [I don’t see why it’s odd for me to love Minami just because he’s still in juniors but Yuri’s Angels never get hate and he’s barely even into juniors. At least my boy is respectful.]_

 

_Russian_Fairy [SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH YOU TRASH ASS PIECE OF GARBAGE HOW DARE YOU INSULT YURA I WILL FLAY YOUR SKIN FROM YOUR BONES]_

**|report this comment|**

 

**Click to see all 1734 comments**

 

-

 

“Social media’s having a field day with this one,” Chris purred over the Skype call, barely containing his giggles. “Maybe your Japanese boy will see it all and come to his senses.”

 

Victor buried his face into his pillow and let out a muffled scream. “I don’t want him to find out like this. What if he’s not ready? He’s really anxious and people knowing we were soulmates would just thrust him into the spotlight because of who I am and I don’t want to cause that for him if he’s not ready. _Stop laughing at me!_ This is a tragedy!”

 

“Sorry, sorry,” The Swiss skater struggled to catch his breath. I just find it so funny that everyone sees you as like majestic or something but you’re just such a mess.”

 

“Chris, I’m serious! Is this what a gay crisis feels like because I think I’m having one.”

 

-

 

Yuuri managed to finish the paper and submit it a whole three minutes before the deadline, and with that off his plate, he decided to put something else on his plate. Namely, the chicken wrap he’d been saving.

 

It wasn’t until he’d settled into his and Phichit’s shared couch with his plate and opened his phone to scroll through social media that he saw a picture of Victor, and the thing that had been bothering him all day finally clicked into place. 

 

The rink he was at earlier belonged to none other than _Victor Nikiforov_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can like request stuff. I'll do it eventually. https://goo.gl/forms/wNuuxwUIuse89pJs1


	6. Commitment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri makes a promise to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of shorter, but super important for plot.  
> Also, Yurio!
> 
> Thank you guys so much for such overwhelmingly positive feedback! It makes my day every time I see someone comment, and it's so rewarding to know you guys enjoy it.
> 
> (Also I paid my enrollment deposit for college finally! I'm so excited! I have two and a half more weeks of high school!)

Peesheet

15:42

he hasnt stopped crying since he saw the post of you with short hair. three days ago.

[Attached Image: Yuuri laying face down on a rather beaten-up looking couch. There’s a cup of coffee on the table next to the couch ominously close to the edge. Blankets are bundled up in various spots.]

 

Sent, 16:10

Oh no! Please don’t cry Yuuri, I’ll grow it back out!

 

Peesheet

16:13

thats not why hes crying. this is a direct quote. “how is he so beautiful no matter what? is he even human? how can a real human be that perfect?” directly followed by a muffled scream. like 98% sure hes having a gay crisis

 

Victor was typing out a response when a small buzz signaled that a new message had come in.

 

Peesheet

16:14

oh, he also feels like hes cheating on his soulmate by being attracted to you

 

Sent, 16:15

But I’m his soulmate?

 

Peesheet

16:16

now you see what i have to live with. honestly hes worse than the ladybug show

 

Sent, 16:18

Ladybug show?

 

Peesheet

16:19

dont tell me you havent heard of miraculous ladybug

16:20

how are you even alive

16:21

do you live under an actual rock

 

-

 

Phichit was going to lose his mind. 

 

Not only was Yuuri in the middle of a massive gay crisis, but he’d been acting weird since the last time he and Victor had switched over a week ago. 

 

It was day eleven of Yuuri dodging every sort of question when Phichit had finally had enough, and sat his roommate down for an intervention.

 

“Alright, you,” He began sternly. “You’ve been acting weird since your last switch, and I’ve been leaving you alone, figuring you’d work it out, but it’s time to spill. What happened?”

 

Yuuri slid deeper into the couch and mumbled to where Phichit had to struggle to hear him. “My soulmate is Russian.”

 

Phichit cocked his head. “Yeah. You’ve known that since you were little. That shouldn’t be causing this freak out.”

 

Yuuri sank deeper still and Phichit was worried that he may become one with the couch. “He’s a skater.”

 

“What’s wrong with that? You’re a skater.”

 

At this point Phichit had to move to the floor next to him to hear what he was saying. “Named Victor.”

 

Oh. 

 

_Oh._

 

_OH._

 

Phichit couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his cheeks. “Uh huh. And?”

 

“And when we were little, Yuuko used to joke about me being soulmate’s with Victor Nikiforov and I never believed her.”

 

“But you’re starting to?”

 

Yuuri finally pushed himself up. “Last time we switched, he was at a skating rink.”

 

“And?”  


“And it was Victor’s rink.”

 

“Go on.” Phichit prompted him.

 

“It was Victor’s rink.” Yuuri repeated blankly.

 

“Yes, we established this. What else?”

 

Yuuri cringed and began picking at a hangnail. “I’m beginning to think that Yuuko may have been right.”

 

“Alright,” Phichit reasoned. “Talk to him about it.”

 

“No!” Yuuri practically screamed. “No, no, no. Absolutely not.”

 

Phichit groaned in frustration. “Why?”

 

Yuuri’s eyes were panicked and seemed a bit sad. “Because if I get my hopes up about him possibly _maybe_ being Victor Nikiforov and he’s not then I know I’ll be disappointed and I don’t want to be because that’s not fair to my soulmate if he’s not.”

 

Phichit was silent for a moment before he spoke again. “Let me get this straight,” He began. “You think you know who your soulmate is, but you refuse to talk to him about it because you’re afraid you’re wrong?” Yuuri said nothing, but nodded meekly. “And what if you’re right?”

 

-

 

Victor opened his eyes from the switch and found himself in a full split. It took him another few seconds to realize he was in a yoga session. 

 

“You really should come to yoga with me more often, Yuuri,” Victor was familiar enough with Yuuri’s life to recognize Phichit’s voice. “I’m telling you, it would do wonders for your anxiety.”

 

“Phichit, it’s Victor.”

 

The Thai boy froze and eyed him, before shrugging and continuing with his stretches. “Well you may as well give my boy a good yoga session this morning. Stretch your arms out behind you,” Victor did as he was instructed. “A lot has happened that I should update you on.”

 

Victor paused in his stretching to quirk a brow. “What do you mean?”

 

“Last time the two of you switched, you were at the rink, no?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Yuuri, rabid fanboy that he is, recognized it.” Phichit stated matter of factly without so much as turning to face him. “And then he started piecing together little things like that you’re a Russian skater named Victor and you were in the rink of Victor Nikiforov.”

 

Victor got so excited that he dropped his form. “He finally knows who I am, then?”

 

Phichit finally turned to face him and fixed him with a glare until he got back into position. “Yes, and no. He has come to terms with the fact that all signs seem to be pointing to you, but he doesn’t want to talk to you about it in case you’re not you because he doesn’t want to be disappointed.”

 

“But I _am_ me!” Victor could hear the whine in his voice. His mouth was opened to say something else, but a phone started ringing before he had the chance.

 

Upon discovering the phone on the inside pocket of a bag, Victor’s eyes widened at the name. 

 

“Soulmate,” He announced. “Yuuri’s calling me!”

 

He didn’t wait for Phichit to respond before he clicked accept. “Hi!”

 

“Uh, hello,” Victor recognized Yuuri’s voice, though it sounded different over the phone than it did in interviews. “Where am I?”

 

Victor’s stomach dropped as he remembered he’d been in the middle of a run when they switched. “Oh! Uh, keep going straight, and turn into the big building with a blue sign. It should be on the right. Find a place to sit, and you can order something if you’d like. One of my rink mates stops there every morning and will lead you to the rink. He’s a bit mean though, so fair warning.”

 

-

 

Turns out, “little mean” was an understatement. 

 

Yuuri followed his directions and took a seat near the front of the building with a water. It wasn’t long before Victor’s rink mate appeared as promised.

 

“You are dumbass’s soulmate?”

 

Yuuri spent the next half an hour being cussed out by a child in broken english. He couldn’t have been more than eleven, and the only words he could reliably pronounce correctly were curse words.

 

Pulling his soulmate’s phone out, he unlocked it with the fingerprint feature and pulled up messages, feeling guilt weigh him down at invading his soulmate’s privacy like this.

 

Sent, 12:47

Your friend seems a bit young to cuss so much

 

YUURI <3<3<3<3

12:49

He’s 13

 

Sent, 12:53

He looks 9

 

The small, angry Russian lead him several streets over to an ice rink and pushed the doors open for Yuuri to enter.

 

Yuuri looked to him in confusion. 

 

“Go, asshole. My time start in hour.” And he turned around and stalked off, breaking into a jog as he turned back the way they had come. 

 

And so, Yuuri took a deep breath and stepped through the threshold, determined to not embarrass himself this time.

 

-

 

The plan failed.

 

It took him ten minutes and several stumbles to get used to the extreme arches in his soulmate’s skates, and by the time he did, other skaters had already finished general warm ups and were working on drilling steps and jumps.

 

There was no way Yuuri could meet his soulmate in person like this. He was a mess.

 

And if his soulmate actually _did_ turn out to be Victor Nikiforov, which Yuuri was almost positive he was, it was even more implausible for Yuuri to present himself to him. Victor was the world’s most successful skater and held records in every category out there. 

 

“Youngest to win gold at Grand Prix in senior division”, free skate overall score, short program overall score, composite score, and more. And he was on his way to a legendary winning streak.

 

No.

 

There was no way Yuuri could meet him like this.

 

Yuuri took a deep breath as he felt the pinch in his head that sent him home and made an oath to himself.

 

_I’ll confront Victor about being soulmates when I can hold my head up with him at an international competition._


	7. vii- Drinks and Doggos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri finds himself in a sticky situation as the GPF winds down to a close. And then he finds himself hungover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HAVE BEEN WAITING TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER FOR SO LONG
> 
> Shorter than I anticipated but it was so much fun to write
> 
> (Also woah two chapters out in the span of like what a week wowie look at me go)

“Yuuri, I’m so sorry to call during a competition. It’s- it’s Vicchan…”

 

-

 

Yuuri was crying when he stepped on the ice. And he was crying when he stepped off. People were staring. He’d probably set a world record.

 

For times fallen in a single program.

 

When he made it to the finals, he thought that this would finally, _finally_ , be his chance to open up to Victor and tell him that he knew. 

 

And then his dog died.

 

He was a train wreck from start to finish. He stumbled stepping onto the ice and fell in his first jump. A double axel. Axels were his strongest jump and his favorite and he messed it up off the bat and wasn’t able to save himself. It was the worst performance he’d ever given. At the rate he was going, he’d never be able to open up to Victor. The man he’d idolized since childhood. The man he fell in love with through television, and again through text messages. His soulmate.

 

He would never be good enough. 

 

Victor would never love a failure like him.

 

Yuuri faintly heard Victor’s name called over the speakers and realized that several people had gone since he got off of the eyes. Yuuri did his best to focus, still wiping tears from his eyes. Victor looked tense.

 

He took a deep breath as the music started and brought his hand up elegantly to let it fall into a spin, but it wasn’t right. Victor didn’t seem focused at all.

 

His program was still technically great, but he wouldn’t get much for performance score if he kept this up.

 

Yuuri closed his eyes to say a quick prayer that Victor would finish the finals strong and-

 

As if his day couldn’t get any worse.

 

He found himself mid transition.

 

Yuuri had been practicing the piece enough and watched it enough times that he could tell from the music which transition it was. He did his best to keep it up, but the planned quad there turned into a double. Yuuri couldn’t land a quad lutz anyway.

 

Yuuri kept his eyes shut, knowing the cameras would pick up on his very obvious not blue eyes, and prayed that he was measuring his distance correctly.

 

The music faded out and Yuuri felt himself on the verge of tears again. He kept his head down as he stepped off of the ice and grabbed the water bottle held out to him, shutting his eyes as he guzzled it. 

 

He opened them a mere moment later to find himself staring at Victor, holding the same water bottle and looking around until their eyes met. 

 

Victor offered him a smile- likely out of pity- and said something to his coach, making to step away.

 

Oh god.

 

He was walking towards Yuuri.

 

Yuuri choked on a scream, grabbed his phone, and bolted as inconspicuously as he possibly could.

 

He stopped running when he made it to the hallway and quickly stepped into the bathroom to check his phone.

 

Phichit-kun

2:12 p.m.

go yuuri! <3

2:13 p.m. 

be sure to ice that, we don’t want you gettung hurt

2:15 p.m.

you could still medal! 

2:32 p.m.

oooohhhhh here comes ur boi 

2:32 p.m.

is he okay?

2:34 p.m.

wow that turned into a double. thats not like him

2:35 p.m.

he finished well enough I guess he’s just not feeling well maybe

2:35 p.m.

cough or hes worried about you cough

2:37 p.m.

i just saw you runnig when the camera panned out why did I see you running katsuki did someting happen dont make me fly to sochi

 

Sent, 2:40 p.m.

uh

2:41 p.m.

everything after the double was me

 

Yuuri quickly turned off his notifications to give Phichit a chance to get the panic out of his system and pulled up his contacts.

 

He’d have to call his mom eventually. Why not get it over with?

 

-

 

Chris’s hand was warm on his back as he screamed into a pillow.

 

“Why does he always run from me?” Victor wailed.

 

“He’s probably just intimidated. He’ll come around. Give him time.” Chris responded in French. 

 

“I’ve given him a decade and a half.” Victor’s response came out muffle by the pillows. “I just wish he would talk to me. I could help him. He won’t even answer my texts anymore.” He sighed and checked his phone anyway, knowing nothing from Yuuri would be there. “And why would he be intimidated? I’m so nice!”

 

“You’re the top skater in the world, Victor. He just flubbed the biggest event of his life.”

 

Victor shook his head decisively. “No. He’ll make it to bigger.”

 

Chris sighed and prepared himself to comfort Victor while he cried. “If he doesn’t quit.”

 

Victor’s head shot up faster than Chris though humanly possible, tears already welling. “Why would he quit? He gets better every year and he’s only 22! He’s got so much time left!”

 

Chris shook his head. “There are a lot of rumors going around, and Phichit says he’s dodging every question about next season even from his coach.”

 

“No,” Victor choked out as the tears started. “He can’t quit. He can’t.”

 

-

 

Yuuri raised his hand to call for another flute of champagne. 

 

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” Celestino tried to be delicate in phrasing his question. 

 

Yuuri shot him a glare that may even rival the young Russian. “You’re the one that wanted me to come in the first place.” He said, finishing his statement with a long, pointed sip.

 

It wasn’t long before Yuuri got hot. Celestino had tied his tie too tight. Usually he’d do it himself, but he had quite literally been dragged to the banquet.

 

Yuuri sighed and called for another flute as he pulled his tie loose.

 

-

 

He looked miserable.

 

Victor hadn’t really taken his eyes off of him at all. Even while mingling with others, his heart was aching for the sulking man in the corner.

 

Victor lost sight of him after a few minutes, and scanned the room in a frenzy, only to find him toe to toe with Yuri. He really should think of a way to distinguish the two.

 

He almost stepped over to intervene, until he heard Yuuri laugh. Whatever was happening, he was laughing, and that had to be good. Right?

 

-

 

Victor knew that Yuuri had taken several styles of dance, but he had no idea that Yuuri could move like _that_. He wasn’t at all surprised about Chris, though.

 

He would admit to being a bit disappointed when Chris coaxed him back into his clothes; though Victor was loving the exposed patch of skin left by his unbuttoned shirt.

 

And then, as if by some miracle, the absolute angel that is Katsuki Yuuri turned his gaze to Victor.

 

It was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him. His glare was so deep and sultry that Victor felt himself blushing for the first time in years.

 

And when Yuuri pulled him onto the dance floor, it was more perfect than he ever could have imagined.

 

He was so deeply in love with this man, and he didn’t ever want out.

 

The world could have ended right then, and Victor would have died a happy man.

 

-

 

Soulmate <3<3<3

7:27 a.m.

That banquet was so fun! Hope we can do it again some time!

 

_What is he talking about?_ Yuuri wondered, holding a hand to his throbbing head as he gathered the last of his things for his suitcase. _I sat in the corner the whole time._

 

-

 

Victor was ecstatic when he saw him in the lobby. 

 

“A commemorative photo?”

 

He hid his tears from the cameras as Yuuri walked away, leaving him to wonder what he could possibly have done this time.


	8. viii- Video Fiasco

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor makes a few crucial decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently I posted this before I finished it because Im D U M B but here's the completed thing now so sorry for the mix up  
> My poor lil heartbroken baby.  
> This fic is on tumblr now! And so am I! Request stuff or just talk to me! thispanbelongsinthetrash.tumblr.com

**morelikekatsudamnson [MY BOY HAS NO COACH AND WENT BACK TO JAPAN???????** **@phichit-chu** **HOW COULD YOU ALLOW THIS!!!!]**

 

 _phichit+chu_ _[I’M SO SORRY HE WONT LISTEN TO ME]_

 

_ DoReMinami [But he’s back in Japan so maybe we’ll see him in domestic competitions! I hope so!] _

 

_ flipforflips [your optimism is cute sweetie but i doubt it. katsuki is the type to self destruct. we all saw him at the final. it’s sad to say but I think this is it for him]  _

 

_ morelikekatsudamnson [GET THAT SLANDER OFF OF MY POST] _

 

_ vityalove [we need to stay calm and rationalize this out. he never formally announced a retirment so maybe he’s just taking a break and looking for a new coach?] _

 

_ skating_otaku [He would have shared those plans with either Phichit or Coach Celestino and neither have said anything. Where’s @gots_hots_for_katsuki ? He always knows what’s happening with our baby boy.] _

 

_ gots_hots_for_katsuki [I wish I did this time guys but I’m really afraid that he might actually be retiring.] _

 

_ phichit+chu [ @gots_hots_for_katsuki get your russian butt into my inbox we need to talk] _

 

**Click to see all 643 comments.**

 

-

 

Nicky Vicky

12:36

Is there any news that u just can share with the public?

12:37

Please have news that you just can’t share with the public

12:39

He’s not really retiring

 

Sent, 12:40

i dunno, man. he might be. he won’t talk to anyone

 

Nicky Vicky

12:42

I’ve tried messaging him but he hasn’t responded to any of my messages in almost two years. What do I do? I want to help him but he won’t let me in.

 

Sent, 12:44

i wish i knew. i wanna help but i feel like you’re the one he needs right now.

 

-

 

**morelikekatsudamnson [LOOK AT THIS SHIT. LOOK AT IT. THERE IS NO WAY HE’S RETIRING WHEN HE FLAWLESSLY SKATES VICTOR FREAKING NIKIFOROV’S PROGRAM. NO WAY. I DON’T BUY IT.** **_(video description: Yuuri skating “Stay Close to Me”)_ ** **]**

 

_ Flipforflips [he had to downgrade the flip and the lutz but (i say this hesitantly) if this was skated in competition it may outscore Victor because of PCS] _

 

_ Vityalove [Victor’s been saying since the GPF that he can’t find any inspiration. He’s breezed through the season with his technical scores being so high but his PCS is about the same as his junior days.] _

 

_ Skating_otaku [@phichit+chu EXPLAIN] _

 

_ Phichit-chu [yuuri’s always been a fan of victor’s and has always liked to recreate his programs but honestly im at a loss here he didnt tell me anything about this] _

 

_ DoReMinami [It’s never been a secret that Yuuri’s a fan of Victor’s. He even said a few years ago in an interview that Victor’s the reason he started skating competitively. He’s also really well known for crazy high PCS scores so I don’t know what you guys are freaking out about, other than the level of skill he portrays in this video would be a total waste if he retired. Plus, he’s not even in peak physical condition. It looks like he’s gained a lot of weight. Who knows what he’ll do? I’m happy for him whether he continues skating or not.] _

 

_ Christophe-gc [@v-nikiforov do something] _

 

_ V-nikiforov [okay but like this happened so how the hELL IS HE TRYING T RETIRE NOPE NOT FUCKING HAPPENING] _

 

**Click to see all 12,984 comments.**

 

-

 

“You’re what?” Christophe all but screamed into his phone.

 

“I’m going to Japan to coach him.”

 

“When I said do something I meant like call him and tell him not to retire not for you to retire!”

 

“I’m not retiring.” Victor said. “Well, not permanently. Probably. I was thinking of taking this season off anyway. Makka’s getting old, and he’s not going to live forever. I want some quality time with my pup.”

 

Christophe pause and the sound of something falling and a cursing Victor. “You’re packing, aren’t you?”

 

The other line went dangerously silent. “Maybe.” Victor finally admitted after a long moment.

 

“Victor, I just don’t want you to get there and then-”

 

“I’ll be fine, Chris,” His friend assured him. “Look, I've gotta go. My flight takes off in twenty minutes and I haven’t even left yet.”

 

“Victor, wait-”

 

“Ciao!”

 

-

 

“Welcome to Utopia Katsuki, how can I help you this evening, sir?”

 

-

 

Victor knew he was coming when he heard the crash and loud gasps from the patrons in the indoor bath, so he has ready when the door was flung open. 

 

His first thought:  _ Damn, I forgot how cute he is in person. _

 

His second:  _ Looks like the rumors were right, he has gained weight. _

 

Given that he came to  _ coach _ Yuuri and not woo him, these thoughts may have been out of order, but Victor was too ecstatic about seeing Yuuri again to care.

 

The night went on with Victor telling Yuuri to get back to his weight at the GPF.

 

He tried to get close to Yuuri and get to know him better, but Yuuri ran away before he got far. His skin was almost ridiculously soft, though.

 

Yuuri hadn’t mentioned anything about being soulmates, and Victor was at a bit of an impasse. 

 

Sure, he’d come with the primary objective being to coach Yuuri and get him out of his slump, but it had seemed only natural that Yuuri would reciprocate his feelings once they were together in person. They were soulmates, after all.

 

Victor cried for three hours the first night he was there.

 

Yuuri was acting like they’d never danced together, never even met.

 

No, worse than that.

 

Yuuri was acting like he couldn’t stand Victor.

 

He couldn’t imagine what he could have done to make Yuuri hate him, but he steeled himself in what he already knew.

 

He was in love with Yuuri Katsuki.

 

And for that love, he wouldn’t let his personal feelings get in the way. He would be whatever Yuuri needed him to be, and right now, that was a coach.

 

He didn’t sleep at all the first night in his room, but he did make a decision.

 

He would push being soulmates to the side for now, and be the best damn coach anyone had ever seen.


	9. ix- pOrK cUtLeT bOwLs??

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri's inspiration for Eros is, uh... Not exactly what Victor was expecting. Or hoping for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear my chapters keep getting shorter.  
> But BOY THAT WAS FAST. Inspiration is a wild thing, man.  
> Uhhhhhhhhhhhh if I made another multichap fic (cough royalty au cough) would anyone be interested in reading it?

He was an entirely different person.

 

The sincere, sweet boy he was over text was nowhere to be seen. The wild, charismatic drunk he danced with was also missing, as was the graceful angel of the ice.

 

Instead, Victor realized that Yuuri was an enigma. He was all of those things, and none of those things. He was shy and awkward, and a bit clumsy. He was gentle beyond all reason, but more stubborn than anyone he’d ever met. He hated losing, but was terrified of competing.

 

He loved the ice more than anything, but it terrified hm above all reason.

 

He was afraid of inadequacy, Victor realized sometime while watching him interact with the newly dubbed Yurio. 

 

-

 

“What even is Agape to you?” Yurio had demanded, livid with himself at his struggle with the program.

 

Victor waved off his question at the time, but of course he knew the answer. Of course.

 

It had never been anything else.

 

To Victor, there had only ever been Yuuri.

 

Agape, Eros, and everything in between.

 

Only Yuuri.

 

-

 

Yuuri didn’t understand what he was meant to be doing.

 

Practicing, obviously, but how in the world was he supposed to react to his soulmate/longtime idol nakedly declaring himself Yuuri’s coach.

 

Maybe he knew they were soulmates and came all this way just to meet him. They had switched during the free skate at the final, after all.

 

Maybe Victor had seen the video and saw something in him.

 

Maybe he just wanted an excuse to take a break, to shock his audience more than ever by wasting an entire season on a dime-a-dozen skater.

 

Probably that one.

 

He was right in the middle of watching the scene play out in his mind where he flopped at nationals and Victor realized that he was a waste of time and left him for dead when Yurio interrupted his intrusive thoughts. 

 

“Oi, Piggy! Is that the best you can do?”

 

Sighing, he pushed himself up and worked a small lap before resuming his position to practice his quad sal.

 

“Let’s not be rude to him, Yurio!” Victor quipped, much too Yurio’s annoyance as he yelled about the name for what had to be the millionth time. “Besides, I think you need to be worrying about your own training. You’re still too greedy. Start again.”

 

Yuuri caught himself staring at his soulmate, who was leaning against the boards. He had his chin propped on one hand as his bangs slotted over one eye. The eye that was visible from Yuuri’s position crinkled as Victor laughed at Yurio, drawing Yuuri’s gaze to the small blond as well. Watching the two of them together made Yuuri’s chest ache, and he wasn’t entirely sure why.

 

He was still too nervous to do much talking to Victor, but Victor was here. For whatever reason, he was here. And Yuuri didn’t want him to leave.

 

-

 

Victor chatted happily with the Katsukis as the Yuris sat with their heads drooping on the table, exhausted and frustrated. 

 

Neither of them were grasping the concept of their short programs. After Yuuri’s, er, performance, at the GPF banquet, Victor had expected it to come easier to the Japanese man than it was.

 

Victor would never  _ admit _ it of course, but he may have had some ulterior motives in assigning Yuuri Eros. Maybe just a few. Little ones.

 

Victor jumped when Yuuri’s head shot up.

 

“I’ve got it!” He cried. “Pork cutlet bowls! That’s what Eros is to me!” His face crumbled as he realized what he’d yelled out.

 

“No, no,” Victor amended after Yuuri’s stuttered out apology. “We can work with that. It’s very unique!”

 

He held his eyes shut for just a moment, long enough that he could see himself sitting across from Yuuri, and took a deep breath as he finished his bowl.

 

-

 

Sent, 22:17

RJ:YERSDxjHfckdugfiasg.IGB

22:18

PORK CUTLET BOWLS

22:18

TK:DLFIYSDJFnh;ISLYDULS>SG:IURGY:IUSGH?

 

Chris ～(^з^)-♡ 

22:24

Context?

 

Sent, 22:26

Hold on

  
  


**_You_** **created a group chat with** ** _Peesheet_** **and** ** _1_** **_other_** **.**

**_You_ ** **named the group chat** **_“TIME TO SCREAM I GUESS”_ **

 

Sent, 22:28

SO

22:28

IM ATTRACTIVE RIGHT

 

Peesheet, 22:30

  1. what have i been added to victor what did you do
  2. why are we screaming
  3. youve literally been named sexiest man alive two different times. yes. youre attractive.



 

Chris ～(^з^)-♡, 22:30

You’re gorgeous babe. Stunning.

 

Sent, 22:31

LASIDFJKUABFLISDHBF>IKSDBF:ISDUBF?:ISDBFI:USDHF:>I

22:32

THEN WHY

22:32

AFTER I INTRODUCE MYSELF TO HIM WHILE NAKED AND DECLARE MYSELF HIM COACH AND TELL HIM THAT WE WOULD WIN GOLD TOGETHER

22:33

IS THE SEXIEST THING THAT HE CAN THINK OF FOR INSPIRATION

22:33

A FUCKING PORK CUTLET BOWL

 

Peesheet, 22:34

he does realy liek pork cutlet bowls

 

Chris ～(^з^)-♡, 22:35

Your Yuuri is creative at least?

 

Sent, 22:37

I’m going to die.

22:37

I’m going to actually

22:38

Physically

22:38

Die.

 

Peesheet, 22:42

uuhhhhhh funny story i actualy am talking to yuuri in another chat about the excat same thing

22:43

trust me hes very embarrassed 

 

Chris ～(^з^)-♡, 22:43

I’m guessing that would make you Phichit then? The Thai skater and Yuuri’s old roomie?

 

Peesheet, 22:44

yup! and lemme gues... chris giacometti?

 

Chris ～(^з^)-♡, 22:45

That would be correct, darling ～(^з^)-♡

 

Sent, 22:47

I just realized that I’ve introduced you two now dear lord what have i done

22:49 

I need a drink

 

-

 

Sent, 22:39

PHICHIT OH GOD HELP ME

 

Phichit, 22:40

what happened?

 

Sent, 22:40

PHICHIT I AM LITERALLY GOING TO DIE

22:41

I ACUTUALLY SAID OUT LOUD IN FRONT OF VICTOR FREAKING NIKIFOROV THAT MY SEXY INSPIRATION WAS A PORK CUTLET BOWL

22:42

PLEASE JUST KILL ME

 

-

 

Yuuri’s chest was tight and anxious as he skated up to Yurio.

 

“Please teach me how to land a quad salchow!”


	10. x- Worth It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Hot Springs On Ice, Yuuri has his doubts. He and Victor talk it out and decide to just be themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally some romance ;)
> 
> I HAVE A NEWMULTICHAP FIC DROPPING SOON!!!!!!!!!  
> Victuuri royalty au anyone?????
> 
> Coming updates may be a bit slower because I ship off to college in a week.

**morelikekatsudamnson [(Michael Scott voice) oh my gooOODD OOKay it’s happening. Everybody stay calm. StAy CaLm. STAY FUCKING CALM!!!!!!!!!!!!!]**

 

_ phichit+chu [someone help i need a livestream to watch on] _

 

_ flipforflips [those of you goin in person had better get pictures and fill us in on what the cameras don’t cover.] _

 

_ flipforflips [i’m looking at you @morelikekatsudamnson @gots_hots_for_katsuki @DoReMinami] _

 

_ DoReMinami [Walking in now. The posters make it so dramatic. “Battle for the champion” and slogans like that.] _

 

_ morelikekatsudamnson [Don’t you worry @flipforflips i’ve got you covered. I already managed to get a nice shot of the rink. I’ll upload it all when it’s over] _

 

_ Yuri’sAngels [Yuratchka is going to wipe the floor with that japanese monstrosity.] _

 

_ gots_hots_for_katsuki [MMMMMMMM BITCH WHERE] _

 

_ gots_hots_for_katsuki [Little Yuri is an amazing skater and no doubt he’ll rank among the top in the world but Katsuki is in his home rink and needs to keep Victor as a coach if he wants to continue skating, which he does. No matter who wins, it won’t be drastic enough to say that either wiped the floor with either] _

 

_ Yuri’sAngels [lmao you’re right. Katsuki will wipe the floor with himself. No need for Yura to dirty his hands.] _

 

_ phichit+chu [oh dear lord now youve done it] _

 

_ flipforflips [you do realize this page is full of Katsuki stans, right? Do you realize what you’ve unleashed? _

 

_ DoReMinami [It’s been five minutes they must all still be typing, or in shock. My money is on both *grabs popcorn*] _

 

_ morelokekatsudamnson [ListeN HERE YOU LILL BITCH] _

 

_ phichit+chu [ah, it begins] _

 

_ gots_hots_for_katsuki [ioaugRFU<HSAGYEFAKFB okay where do i start with this. The hair? They eyes? The kindness? The relatability? Let’s go with the music. The music, which moves to him, rather than the other was around. Let’s move onto PCS. He consistently scores as high as or higher than Victor Nikiforov in his PCS scores and what rabid BITCHES LIKE YOU fail to realize is that Nikiforov is not one to waste his time. He’s in Hasetsu for a reason. Yuuri is the only male figure skater certifies by the JSF. The only one. In the entire country. When you go to the JSF website and pull up figure skating, any idea whose face shows up? Oh, right. Katsuki’s.] _

 

_ morelikekatsudamnson [Plisetsky is skating a program about innocent, gentle, pure love. Lmfao good luck Russian Punk. Katsuki is mre sexually and emotionally mature and capable of pulling the aspects of his skate int fruition, so take your fucking bias and shove it up your ass, you nasty rabid fangirl. You are exactly what gives skating fans a bad name. Blocked.] _

 

_ gots_hots_for_katsuki [That said, Plisetsky is a very capable and competent skater whose skating i am also a fan of. Regardless of who wins today, I will continue to support and cheer for both of them. (I’m rooting for Katsuki though)] _

 

_ DoReMinami [All of you shut up!!! Plisetsky is doing his laps!!!! It’s starting!!!!!] _

 

**Click to see all 2,630 comments.**

 

-

 

_ I can’t lose. _

 

_ I can’t lose. _

 

_ I can’t lose. _

 

_ I just have to stay focused.  _

 

_ I am a pork cutlet bowl fatale that enthrals men.  _

 

_ No woman could ever compare to me. _

 

_ No other skater, either. _

 

_ Victor, whyever you came, I’ll show you today why you’re going to stay. _

 

Yuuri took a deep breath and pulled back the curtain. Yurio was halfway through and doing great.

 

Practice was over.

 

If harnessing eros in a feminine form was what it took to keep Victor in Japan, it’s exactly what Yuuri would do.

 

-

 

**phichit+chu [aludhfliawfdfa can we all just take a minute to talk abot how my best friend absolutely KILLED IT in the hot springs on ice event!! great job yuuri! this season is gonna rock!!** **_(video description: Yuuri skating Eros during Hot Springs on Ice)_ ** **]**

 

_ morelikekatsudamnson [YES DAD YES WE CAN HOLY SHIT IM STILL SHAKING] _

 

_ DoReMinami [Seeing it live was so awesome! Can’t wait to see him again this fall!] _

 

_ gots_hots_for_katsuki [god this just reaffirmed how fucking gay i am i cannot handle it awgahf i need an ambulance my knees are weak that was dlahdsfashdfajdfhakdjfh eros akjsdhkajsdha my crops are watered my skin is cleared my soul is purified i kajfksdsjghksfhg] _

 

_ gots_hots_for_katsuki [yurio did great too but fffffffffffff] _

 

_ gots_hots_for_katsuki [I’m just gay and weak okay guys] _

 

_ flipforflips [I was expecting him to retire this season boy am I glad he didn’t] _

 

_ giacs-jizz [fffffff my boy has some competition this season holy shit] _

 

_ skating_otaku [HOLY WATER FOR SALE!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET YOUR HOLY WATER HERE FOLKS!!!!!! ORDER NOW AND YOU GET A FREE BIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CLEANSE YOURSELF FROM THE SIN THAT IS KATSUKIS SP] _

 

_ giacs-jizz [mmmmmm no joke though im soOOO excited to see what else he pulls out this season.] _

 

**Click to see all 8,385 comments.**

 

-

 

Victor inhaled deeply, breathing in the air of the sea and taking in the calls of the gulls.

 

Yuuri was still sleeping when he left the inn. At least, Victor assumed he was sleeping; he hadn’t left his room.

 

He sighed and closed his eyes, turning to the rink and starting his trek. Yuuri had woken up, but it didn’t seem he’d gotten out of bed yet.

 

He would simply let Yuuri meet him at the rink.

 

-

 

They were back at the beach.

 

Victor looked at their hands clasped between them in agreement and pulled his away gently, reminding himself that he wasn’t going to romance Yuuri. Probably. On purpose, at least.

 

“So we’re just going to be ourselves,” Victor mused, letting Yuuri’s words wash over him. 

 

No one ever asked for Victor, not really.

 

They asked for Victor Nikiforov, five time consecutive world champion. Victor Nikiforov, sports model. Victor Nikiforov, figure skating’s golden boy.

 

It had been more years than Victor had even realized since anyone had asked for him.

 

Just-  _ him _ .

 

Victor Nikiforov.

 

“Yep,” Yuuri said a bit awkwardly. “Just ourselves.”

 

Victor watched Yuuri for a moment longer than was likely appropriate.

 

He felt his heart flutter as Yuuri glanced up and met his gaze. For the first time in a very long time, Victor was happy.

 

It was completely and utterly addictive.

 

-

 

“Ready to warm up?”

 

“Yeah,” Yuuri’s reply was instantaneous. “Let’s do this.”

 

Victor felt his lips curl into a smile. “That’s the spirit.” After Yuuri had laced up his skates and made his way to the rinkside, Victor watched him for a moment. He realized that he’s probably staring, but could anyone honestly blame him? Yuuri was a very nice person to look at. “Don’t think I’m gonna go easy on you just ‘cause you’re cute!” Victor called out to Yuuri.

 

Yuuri scoffed, lapping once more around the rink. “I wouldn’t dream of it, because I’m not even cute.”

 

Victor face pulled into a frown at this, and he gestured Yuuri over. “Didn’t I say I was going to make you more confident in yourself?” Yuuri nodded. “That includes self image. Would you believe me if I told you you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever laid eyes on?”

 

He rolled his eyes. “No.”

 

Victor’s eyes narrowed. “Well you should because it’s true. I may be a bit biased but that can only go so far. You’re gorgeous, Yuuri. Stunning. A knockout.” Yuuri laughed and shook his head.”Why do you laugh? Do you not love yourself?”

 

“I mean,” Yuuri began, visibly a bit uncomfortable. “I wouldn’t really say so, no.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I just-” Yuuri began. “-I don’t think I’m worthy. I’ve never been good enough, no matter how much everyone supports me. I’m just wasting everyone’s time. I look into the mirror, and I see a failure.” His voice cracked and Victor wanted nothing more than to pull him in and hold him. 

 

“Oh, mon coeur,” Victor was beginning to tear up as well. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to trust your mirror?” He slipped off his skate guards and stepped onto the ice, gliding around to face Yuuri properly. “Will you do something for me?”

 

“What?” Yuuri asked.

 

Victor smiled softly and brushed a finger across his cheeks. “Just close your eyes and follow my lead.”

 

Yuuri nodded and closed his eyes, cringing visibly when he realized he could see himself.

 

Victor’s smile shifted and grew nervous as he reached out and linked his hands with Yuuri’s, pulling him away from the boards and leading them into some figures. 

 

They weren’t even proper figures, really. Victor had to accommodate for Yuuri not seeing through his own eyes at the moment, and he didn’t particularly care if the skating looked nice. There was no one there to watch except for them, and as Yuuri’s gaze softened a couple of minutes into their aimless gliding, he asked, “What exactly are we doing, Victor?”

 

“I want you to see yourself through my eyes.” Victor answered. 

 

“Beautiful,” He said as he pulled himself around to hold Yuuri from behind as they glided backwards.

 

“Intelligent,” He added, raising their hands up high and skating sideways.

 

“Capable,” He added, loosening his grip from holding to guiding.

 

“And so,  _ so _ worth it.” He finished as he brought them to a stop. “I would do everything I’ve done here- and anywhere else- a million times over if it meant I got to see you smile even once.”

 

Victor was convinced he should be praised for the self control it took not to kiss him when he turned around. He looked fragile and his eyes were welling with tears as he pressed himself into Victor’s chest for a hug.

 

Victor isn’t sure how long they stood like that. Maybe seconds, maybe minutes, maybe more, but the air between them was raw with emotion when they finally pulled apart.

 

“Let’s get started on your free skate, yeah?”

 

-

 

Chris ～(^з^)-♡, 22:12

I thought you weren’t going to romance him

 

Sent, 22:43

Shut up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come scream with me on tumblr is you want thipanbelongsinthetrash.tumblr.com


	11. xi- Domestic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri competes in Fukuoka, and a switch leaves the boys in an awkward position, finally realizing that they need to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hahahahaha so college is keeping me very busy but class got cancelled because there's a hurricane barrelling toward us so here have a chapter
> 
> also im really bad at writing dialogue im so sorry

## 

**DoReMinami [TODAY’S THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]**

flipforflips [YEAH BITCHES LET’S GOOOOOOOO]

 

gots_hots_for_katsuki [*heavy breathing*]

 

vityalove [GFYGHJK:JIHGTRFCHGVJHBKGY GO YUURI BABY]

 

morelikekatsudamnson [ **@DoReMinami** are we stil meeting in front of the bathrooms?]

 

DoReMinami [Yeah b I’ll be there in about 20 minutes.]

 

morelikekatsudamnson [oh dammt i’m stuck in traffic itll be more like 30 for me]

 

phichit+chu [AT LEAST YOU GET TO GO T-T]

 

morelikekatsudamnson [TRASH SENPAI DONT WORRY WELL DOCUMENT THE WHOLE THING]

 

phichit+chu [i wont even be able to watxh it live because i have practice ciao ciao is so mean T-T]

 

christophe-gc [Coach gave me the morning off to watch. *w*]

 

phichit+chu [TTTTTTTTT--n--TTTTTTTTTT]

 

-

 

**_TIME TO SCREAM I GUESS_ **

 

Sent, 6:28

Will you at least get to watch the free skate tomorrow?

 

Peesheet

6:29

CHRIS WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN

6:29

also probably not I have to work on my quad toe loop so i can beat him in china

 

Chris ～(^з^)-♡

6:30

Wish Yuuri luck for me! 

 

Sent, 6:31

He said thank you! And that’s a pity, Phicheat. His free is really something special.

 

-

 

**DoReMinami [LOOK AT THIS CONTENT MY BOYS ARE INTERACTING HE WISHED HIM LUCK THIS IS EVERYTHING I EVER COULD HAVE ASKED FOR MY SKIN IS CLEARED MY CROPS ARE WATERED THE BEST BOYS IN FIGURE SKATING AND I GOT TO SEE THEM IN PERSON HOLY SHIT WHAT IS REAL LIFE** **_(attached: several photos of Yuuri and Minami, accompanied by a video of Yuuri yelling to wish Minami luck, nearly drowned out by the screaming/sobbing of a shrill voice, presumably the one filming.)_ ** **)**

 

morelikekatsudamn [YES YES BEST BOYS OLD NEWS BUT THE FREE SKATE THOUGH. tHe FrEe SkAtE tHoUgH]

 

vityalove [HE HAD HIS HAND HELD OUT TO VICTOR DID YOU SEE HIS FACE. VICTOR LOOKED CONFUSED/SURPRISED. WHO WANTS TO BET THAT THAT WASN’T CHOREOGRAHED. OUR BOYS ARE GAY AND IN LOVE AND I AM SO FUCKING PROUD.]

 

phichit+chu [WAIT I DIDNT GET TO WATCH IT WHAT HAPPENED]

 

christophe-gc [ **@phichit+chu** so basically Yuuri’s fs is about his life and it starts off like sad and lonely but perks up to hopeful and joyous and Yuuri’s ending pose had one hand on his heart and the other stretched out to Victor and the crowd completely lost it.]

 

morelikekatsudamnson [TRASH SENPAI I KNOW YOURE TRAINING RIGHT NOW BUT IT IS A SIN TO MISS THIS FS. A SIN.]

 

phichit+chu [ADVCYI:DAHUTOSDGVJLSDLUAHSB HOW DID I MISS THAT WHAT YUUURRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII WHY DIDNT YOU TELL ME ABOUT THISSSSS]

 

vityalove [WAit where’s  **@gots_hots_for_katsuki** ???? Shouldn’t he be here freaking out with us?]

 

gots_hots_for_katsuki [I have ascended to heaven. Farewell, my friends.]

 

morelikekatsudamnson [Oh dear lord.  **@yuuri-katsuki** I think you broke him.]

 

gots_hots_for_katsuki [Just. Imagine. Imagine that it was /you/ he looked at like that. Fdkfj I am meLTING]

 

phichit+chu [boy i sure do love me a steaming hot cup of tea.]

 

**Click to see all 3,257 comments.**

 

-

 

**_TIME TO SCREAM I GUESS_ **

 

Peesheet

7:26

you ain’t slick boy. Its a miracle they havent found out about your fan account.

 

Sent, 7:28

Shut up. I’m melting. mELTING.

 

-

 

**v-nikiforov [So proud of @yuuri-katsuki for his incredible performance in nationals! See you in China, skating world!]**

 

**Click to see all 14,759 comments.**

 

-

 

Victor knew in his heart that he had done what was right with Yuuri and Minami, but his stomach had felt queasy ever since he left Yuuri at the rinkside.

 

They’d gotten back to Hasetsu that morning and took the day off from training. Yuuri ate a pork cutlet bowl, insisting he take a smaller portion because “it really wasn’t a big deal as he wouldn’t have had to compete if he’d done better last year”. Victor had already gone for a run, soaked in the hot springs, and taken a walk to the beach, but none of it was successful in easing his nerves, and it was too late now to do much of anything. 

 

He sighed and pivoted, pacing his room.

 

Yuuri hasn’t said much since the competition. He insisted he was just tired, but had Victor been too harsh? Had he finally gone too far and scared Yuuri away when they were just starting to make progress?

 

Raking a hand through his hair, he checked his phone and groaned. Chris would still be in practice for another two hours, and there was no way he could interrupt his friend’s valuable training time just because he was anxious. 

 

He sank onto his bed with a sad sort of flop and reached for the spot that Makkachin slept in, only to remember that the poodle had ditched him to sleep with Yuuri.

 

He sighed and pulled himself back up, opening his door as quietly as he could and padding to the bathroom at the end of the hall, not even noticing the light on under Yuuri’s door.

 

-

 

Yuuri had been agonizing over Victor for the last day and a half. Well, the last 23 years, really, but the last day and a half particularly.

 

Victor was mad when he wasn’t encouraging of Minami. That much was obvious. But was he still mad? Probably not. Was Yuuri overthinking this? Probably. 

 

_ Okay, Yuuri. Just suck it up and go talk to him, _ he chided himself.  _ It’s just Victor. Victor Nikiforov. The best skater in the world and the man you’ve been in love for years and the reason you started skating competitively. No biggie. _

 

Yuuri was in the middle of playing out a scenario where he tried to talk to Victor and Victor hated him, said he didn’t want to be soulmates, and left for Russia, when he remembered that Victor really was just Victor.

 

Sure he was all of the above, but he was also an excitable, passionate goofball with a heart shaped smile.

 

Suddenly the thought of talking to Victor didn’t make him queasy anymore.

 

Until he heard someone that could only be Victor tiptoeing down the hall and closing the bathroom door and suddenly the only thing separating he and the man he both loved and was too afraid to love was a thin wall.

 

He shoved himself back in his chair and spun it a full rotation, raking his hands through his hair and closing his- oh. Oh, no.

 

He wasn’t sitting anymore. 

 

No, he wasn’t sitting. He was standing in the small private bathroom with burning cheeks wet from tears, and very much not in his own body.

 

He was queasy again.

 

And then he looked up and saw his eyes in Victor’s body and realized that they would have to actually talk about being soulmates now and felt even queasier.

 

He took a long deep breath and reached up to wipe away what he realized was tears and not water from Victor washing his face. The question remaining is why was he crying in the first place?

 

He had finally gotten the last drops of water out of Victor’s ridiculously long eyelashes when a soft knock sounded at the door. He didn’t need to look when he heard the click of the door opening to know it was Victor, but he did anyway.

 

If he had thought seeing Victor’s body in the mirror was weird, it was a million times more bizarre seeing his body standing in front of him.

 

For a long moment, they just stared at each other, each likely experiencing the same out of body phenomenon. 

 

Victor was the first to speak.

 

“Sorry if I woke you,” He began, and Yuuri was struck with the strangeness of hearing his own voice. “I just couldn’t sleep and wanted a change of scenery for a minute or two.”

 

“I understand,” Yuuri said, flinching when he heard Victor’s voice instead of his own. “I wasn’t sleeping.” He hastily added. “I couldn’t sleep. Either. I mean- um,” Yuuri swallowed thickly and made the decision to stop talking before he made it worse and very decidedly not mentioning that Victor had been crying.

 

There was another quiet, awkward moment in which neither really knew what to say. It was Yuuri, this time, to break it.

 

“We should probably talk about this, shouldn’t we?” He mumbled without meeting Victor’s eyes, but the Russian only smiled gently and placed a calming hand, on Yuuri’s shoulder.

 

“Your room or mine?”

 

-

 

Twenty minutes and a switch back later, they were bundled into Yuuri’s room with Makkachin and a pot of tea.

 

“So…” Victor started. 

 

“So…” Yuuri chorused a moment later. 

 

They were both silent for a moment, nodding and staring into their cups.

 

“What a riveting conversation we’re having.” Victor commented, and Yuuri felt himself smiling despite the tangible anxiety in the room. “We should probably start somewhere.” And then he took a deep breath.

 

“I was obsessed with soulmates when I was little. My mom and dad have always loved each other so much, and even when I was a little kid, I knew I wanted to love someone like that someday, but you weren’t born yet and then I didn’t know you. Mama heard you mutter a few things in Japanese during one of our switches, and so I started learning. I wanted to be able to talk to you whenever I did finally meet you. I always liked to just close my eyes and see what you were doing. It was calming for me, knowing that I had a bond with someone, somewhere.” He took another, shakier breath.

 

“Victor,” Yuuri cut in, only to be cut off himself.

 

“Please let me finish,” Victor’s voice was trembling and his hands were visibly shaking. “It’s the only way I’ll ever get it out anytime soon.” Yuuri, nodded from his position on his bed and Victor continued. “During one of our switches, I think I was maybe 9, your mother told me that you liked to ice skate. Just for fun. I asked my mom if we could try it, and a year or two later I was scouted by Yakov and things have only gotten crazier since then. 

 

“In the early days of my career, I wouldn’t have had time to build a meaningful relationship even if by some miracle chance I happened to meet you. I progressed more in my skating and eventually had time to think again, and as I was doing some research about my competitors, I came across this really cute guy from Japan. He was younger than me, but was easily the cutest thing I’d ever laid eyes on, and he’s the greatest skater I’ve ever seen. Chris made fun of me because I hadn’t even met him, but I was totally whipped. Eventually, I started seeing him around in competitions, and his roommate explained to me how anxious he was, and that if I marched up to him and declared myself his soulmate that he would likely turn tail and run.

 

“But time passed, and last year, we met at the finals. Not for long, not nearly for as long as I would have liked, but it was the best night of my life.” Victor choked down a sob. “And when he vanished, and I couldn’t reach him, I went after him. And I’ve been terrified ever since because I don’t know what I’m doing as a coach or as a soulmate, and i can’t afford to lose him- to lose  _ you _ , Yuuri.” Victor shook his head as his tears finally fell in earnest. “I’m so scared right now and I don’t know what I’m going to do if you reject me.” Victor’s tears continued and he was well and truly sobbing now, and it was only then, watching his soulmate cry in his bedroom, that Yuuri realized.

 

As afraid as he had been of losing Victor, Victor was just as afraid of losing him.

 

“Please say something.” Victor choked out.

 

Yuuri, instead, stood and crossed the room to where Victor sat in his cushioned desk chair. Gently grabbing Victor’s hands, he pulled him up and across to the bed, where they both sat.

 

Victor collapsed into Yuuri’s arms despite himself, curling up and preparing himself for rejection. What he got, however, was not what he expected.

 

“I’ve been in love with Victor Nikiforov since I was 12 years old.” Victor’s head shot up, mouth falling open and preparing to ask what he meant by that, but Yuuri only put a finger to his lips with the sweetest, most gentle and sincere smile Victor had ever seen. “As I was saying, I’ve been in love with Victor Nikiforov since I was twelve years old. I actually got my start in my career mimicking your routines, but you already knew that. Anyway, you were the most amazing skater ever with the greatest hair and you were so pretty and you were Russian, just like my soulmate, which was cool. 

 

“I was kind of terrified of having a soulmate, because I’ve always thought that I would end up letting them down. But the skater that I admired so much, what was the harm in that? It’s not like I would ever meet him, so what was the harm in having a crush? Is what I always told myself, anyway.” Yuuri stopped with a chuckle. “And then Yuuko started joking about my soulmate being Russian and named Victor and,” Yuuri coached his voice into a falsetto to mimic Yuuko’s. “” _ Wow, what if your soulmate is actually Victor Nikiforov? How crazy would that be?” _ And stuff like that. I never believed her, but it’s not half as crazy now as either of us would have thought back then.

 

“And then you started texting me, and I started piecing things together and I realized that Victor Nikiforov the skater and Victor Nikiforov the person were very different, and I started falling out of love with Victor Nikiforov the skater. You were still the best skater in the world and my favorite, of course, but I found that I like Victor the person so much more than Victor the skater.

 

“And as I was coming to terms with who you are and that you’re my soulmate, I promised myself that I would consult you about it as soon as I could skate on the same ice as you in international competition. And then I made it to the Finals.

 

“And then my dog died. I was devastated, I totally bombed my free skate and then you went on and we- we switched. I had been practicing your routine enough that I could get through it. Not well or with the right jumps, but I could do it. We switched back right after, and you were looking at me, and I was sure you were going to be mad that I’d drug your score so far down. I mean, you still got first, but not nearly by as much as you deserved. I panicked and I ran away. I cried in the bathroom for a while. Yurio actually showed up and started yelling at me, which didn’t help.

 

“When you asked me for a photo in the lobby, it felt like you were mocking me. “A commemorative photo?” Why would I want to commemorate my failure? And then you showed up here and you were acting like Victor the skater, not Victor the person, and that hurt, and I didn’t know how to react. I thought it was your way of telling me you didn’t want me, that I was nothing more than a fan to you. You opened up eventually, and I haven’t felt that for a while.

 

“As afraid as I would that you’d decide you didn’t want me, I never even realized that you could be feeling the same thing. To tell the truth, I still don’t understand why you want me at all, soulmate or not, but what happened was my failure as a soulmate, not yours. I only hope you can forgive me and give me another chance.”

 

It was Victor’s turn to laugh. His tears had dried during Yuuri’s story, and he was watching him with soft eyes and a softer heart.

 

“You really are dense, huh?” Victor chuckled. “How on earth wouldn’t I want you?” He reached up and pulled a hand through Yuuri’s hair, something he’d done several times for competition, but that felt infinitely more intimate now. “Is-” He looked down, not meeting Yuuri’s eyes. “Is it okay if I stay in here tonight?”

 

Yuuri’s answering smile could light up infinite galaxies. 

 

“I would really like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im on tumblr if you wanna like scream or something https://thispanbelongsinthetrash.tumblr.com


End file.
